Every year, in a triumph of hope over experience, I really look forward to Mother’s Day. As a mother of four, working a 6.9 day week, I dream of just one relaxing Sunday morning, being woken by the glorious aroma of coffee and croissants, followed by the excitement of peeling the wrappings off bags and boxes to reveal a selection of exquisite and carefully-chosen gifts. I was asked recently by a colleague what my perfect Mother’s Day gift would be. To be honest, any gift would be more than welcome as we all know it is the thought that counts – but that would make a very short blog post. So, here is a wishlist of my most desirable Luxury Mother’s Day Gifts.
A Spa Day
Not to labour the point but my working week is long and often stressful. I travel a lot, which means putting up with endless traffic jams and other people’s road rage. The idea of a whole day with nothing to do but relax and be pampered is idyllic. My favourite venue would have to be Dormy House, a chic, boutique hotel in the Cotswolds, renowned for its personal service and luxuriously laid-back atmosphere.
Their Spa Days are legendary and all about being spoiled rotten from head to toe. Think of body scrubs, a full body and head massage, facials, champagne lunch and full use of all their spa and leisure facilities. As they say themselves, you walk in, float out. The perfect gift for a hard-working mum.
A Stunning Bouquet
Mother’s Day is not the day for a hastily-grabbed bunch of flowers from the petrol station. I am talking about a huge florist’s bouquet, wrapped in cellophane with a big, impressive bow. Mind you, quite a few of your local high street stores and even high end supermarkets do some fantastic flowers for special occasions. My personal choice would be red, red and more red but this is the ideal time of year for beautiful blue irises, bright yellow daffodils or fabulous, multi-coloured tulips. But if my children are reading this, it has to be red!
Designer Shoes
I know that this is way beyond a pocket money present but who doesn’t deserve a pair of lovely Louboutins or Jimmy Choos? Whether or not we receive a pair is another matter but that doesn’t stop any of us hoping, does it? Again, I love red but wouldn’t say no to a beautiful, classic black or even this stylish blue. And I know I’m tall, but I still love a bit of a heel.
Designer Handbag
I love handbags. A quick change of bag and, hey presto, you’ve changed the look of your entire outfit. Again, this may be beyond the reach of your child’s pocket money but maybe you’re looking for a Mother’s Day gift for your own mum. As I spend so much time away from home, my life is in my handbag so I love something like this gorgeous Louis Vuitton Néonoé tote, or maybe the C de Cartier red leather tote. For those of you who don’t need the capacity of Mary Poppins’ carpet bag, the C de Cartier comes in a whole range of sizes and colours. You can also find great leather handbags at a more affordable price. A quick browse online will bring up dozens of options for timeless, classic, and stylish leather handbags.
Fabulous Fragrances
I have to say, I really enjoy spending the odd half hour trying out new fragrances. I mean, who doesn’t love smelling wonderful? As well as the classic perfume houses, I also love the trail-blazing, botanical fragrances of companies like Jo Malone. Her delicious perfumes, inspired by nature, manage to lift my spirits on even the most stressful day. A particular favourite of mine is Lime, Basil & Mandarin but, whichever combination I choose, I love the fact that I can layer the fragrance with body lotions, fragrances, room sprays or diffusers, and even a candle to pop on the edge of my bath. Assuming I have time to take a bath – most days a quick shower has to suffice. Not on Mother’s Day though. Just a quick hint to my children, Jo Malone has some fabulous gifts and sets specially for Mother’s Day…
The world’s most expensive perfume is DKNY Golden Delicious Million Dollar Fragrance Bottle (and yes, it really does cost $1 million). However, along with Clive Christian’s Imperial Majesty at around $12,700 per ounce and Baccarat’s Les Larmes Sacrées de Thebes at $6,800 per ounce, the price label is due to the packaging rather than the perfume itself. My two favourite luxury perfumes would have to be Hermes 24, Faubourg, named after the location of its flagship store, and Chanel No5 Grand Extrait, highly collectable and made exclusively to order. Somehow, I don’t think either of them will be making an appearance on my Mother’s Day breakfast tray.
Champagne
I have to admit, I love a glass of bubbly and, as long as it’s a good, well rounded vintage, I don’t tend to stick to just one brand. That’s not to say that I wouldn’t really appreciate a bottle of Krug Clos du Mesnil 2000 this Mother’s Day, or a Billecart-Salmon 2002 Vintage Rosé. Both are exquisite and welcome in my house at any time of the year. But for a beautifully light, drinkable champagne that is not going to break the piggy bank, I would go for a Jacquesson Cuvée 740 Extra Brut. It is bone dry but balanced and never harsh. The perfect accompaniment to my Mother’s Day lunch, I think.
Afternoon Tea
If a full Mother’s Day lunch is too much to hope for, a really dainty Afternoon Tea is, in many ways, even more luxurious. Unlike lunch, this is something we don’t do every day so it feels like such a treat. The venue at the top of my list for this year’s Mother’s Day has to be Sketch in Mayfair. Its wonderfully quirky décor, original artworks and powder pink Gallery make it a destination in its own right. Add a touch of culinary genius and a glass of Champagne Pommery Brut Silver and you have the perfect place to spend a Sunday afternoon.
As I said back at the beginning, every year I keep my fingers crossed that the Mother’s Day Fairy will be kind. As the mother of 4 boys, however, I think it unlikely that I’ll be receiving any of the fabulous gifts shown above – but you never know. Even if they can’t stretch to a Louis Vuitton bag, and are too young to buy champagne, something small and thoughtful would make my day. Remember, boys, your birthdays are coming up soon.
I’d love to hear about your best (and worst) ever Mother’s Day gifts. And tell us what you are looking forward to giving or receiving this year.
